"That's absolutely right, Kerr Mollin.  No one gainsays the gnome.  The gnome knows things," she said.  But, for the moment, though, for Pisca Neep Freemish, the only thing worth knowing, on the whole of Golarion, was her dessert.

Mmmyomp. Tpk-puk-pkpk.  "If the hordes of the fey ever break from The Barrow, they are definitely coming for this dessert."  Pisca licked the spoon to get every last bit of the sweet creaminess from off it and onto her tongue.  "Ameiko!" the gnome called out, "I must tell you, that this is the best thing that I have ever eaten since the last best thing that I've ever eaten."

"Well, if Lysa's going boar hunting and Cato's going boar hunting.  And, I have to assume that Stomper's also going boar hunting.  Then I have to go too.  There's an unspoken rule, Aldern," said the gnome, gesticulating with her spoon as though brandishing a sword before leading a charge into battle, "an unspoken rule that all members of an adventuring group must go boar hunting together.  It's like the one that says all girls must go to the powder room together except that it's different."

"And you say you're buying us ponies, Aldern?  Yeah!  That's what this gnome says about that.  Yeah!  I love ponies."  And then, "Thank you, Aldern," said the gnome after her effusive expression of love for ponies.  "I'm not so sure how I'll like killing boars.  But we'll give it our best try now, shan't we?  And ... if we don't like it.  We won't be doing that again."

"What time did you say that was again?"

---

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Aldern gave Cato a quick look, trying to determine if he was kidding.  "Dangerous?  Of course it's dangerous!  It wouldn't be a sport if it wasn't dangerous," he said, drawing out the last word for emphasis.  "That said, you shall have Kellan, a guardsman, myself, a hunter of no mean experience, and my men-at-arms, who are there to help should it prove necessary.  Besides, the danger of the hunt will be but a small thrill beside the danger you faced before the White Deer yesterday evening!"  Aldern clearly thought that a boar should prove no great obstacle to the warriors he had observed the night previous.

The noble looked bemusedly at the clearly-inebriated Liseth and the ebullient little gnome.  "I greatly hope that you will like it, Miss Pisca.  We shall be meeting at ten tomorrow at the Goblin Squash Stables.  And if you might allow me to say so . . ."

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Aldern was interrupted once again by the Rusty Dragon's front door.  This time it opened to admit Sheriff Belor Hemlock and Alergast Barett, the latter in uniform.  Sheriff Hemlock looked around the taproom and, when his eyes alighted on the party, he started towards the table.

"Aldern, I'm sorry to bring your get-together to a premature close, but I am in need of Miss Neep Freemish, Mister Caelin, Miss Thoradin, Kerr, and Guardsman Storval."  He looked around the table; Alergast looked concerned but remained quiet.  "Where IS Guardsman Storval?  I heard he was here."  His mouth twisted with displeasure, but he forged ahead regardless.  "Father Zantus requests your presence in the Boneyard as soon as practicable," he said to Pisca, Kerr, Cato, and Liseth.  "He's found something, and he would like you to be present before he investigates further.  Do you mind, Aldern?"

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This message was last edited by the player at 00:48, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

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Aldern waved his hand graciously.  "Please, Belor, whatever you need.  We were almost finished anyway."  He looked around at the party and smiled.  "Good luck with your Father-Zantus-inspired investigations.  I will see you tomorrow at the hour of ten at the Goblin Squash Stables.  And thank you so much for attending my dinner!"

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This message was last edited by the player at 01:00, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

Cato rose from his seat, and bowed politely to Aldern.  "Thank you.  I'd expect the same if we ever save your life again.  See you tomorrow morning, Aldern."

Cato turned to the Sheriff and Alergast.  "I'd be happy to go with you, gentleman.  You just missed, Kellan, unfortunately.  He left with Vin's daughter not too long along.  She needed help with something in the basement."

Cato glanced over at Liseth.  The girl probably wouldn't want Zantus to see her in this condition.  He walked closer to the two men.  More quietly, he said, "To tell the truth, I think Liseth's had a fair amount of excitement for one day as well.  Does this require all of us, or is it something Pisca and I can handle, and fill in the rest in the morning?"

It took a moment for Liseth's muddled mind to digest Kerr's roundabout answer to her question.  But once it had the girl squealed in delight, "So you ARE my boyfriend!  This is so exciting!  I never had a boyfriend before!"  Liseth leaned forward once again and planted another kiss on Kerr's other cheek.  "I don't think anybody has ever had a sweeter boyfriend either."

Liseth looked up and across the table at Pisca when the gnome began to speak about her love of ponies.  She leaned back into her own chair and away from Kerr, "You love ponies Ms Freemish?  I love ponies too!  And horses!  Tomorrow I can introduce you to Heily!  She's the prettiest horse ever."  Reaching down to the pouch at her side, Liseth produced the figurine that Kerr had bought for her yesterday, "Heily looks like this."  She giggled again, "Only the real Heily is a lot bigger than this Little Heily."  Liseth gently placed the figurine on the table as though it were a priceless artifact, "Kerr bought this for me at the festival.  Didn't I tell you that he is so nice?"

Moments later the dinner was interrupted by the arrival of two Sandpoint guardsmen.  Liseth listened curiously to them when it was said that the dinner had to be put to a premature end.  "Oh!  Father Zantus needs our help?  We should go right away!"  Liseth stood up from her chair and took a shaky step away from the table before she stopped and gasped.  Quickly turning around the girl half stumbled in her haste to get back to the table and to retrieve her treasured Heily figurine.  She gingerly placed it back into the safety of her pouch.

Then Liseth looked at Kerr, grabbing his arm to pull him out of his seat "Come on Kerr!  Father Zantus needs our help."  Once she had Kerr in a standing position, Liseth took him by the arm; then finally looked across the table at Aldern Foxglove when he thanked them for attending, "Oh, you're welcome Mr Foxglove.  Or, thank you?  Um...goodnight!"

Pisca looked down at the hard carved figure in her hands.  "Yes.  I'm sure that she's the prettiest horse.  Ever, Liseth."  There was a stillness in the gnome's face - tension upon waters nearly afraid to move.  Her eyes were pinched with a touch of sadness.  "Yes, nice.  So nice."  She placed it back onto the table in the exact spot that the human girl first put it and then turned it so that the little figurine was at just the right angle.

"Well, if you'll excuse a gnome, I have to go upstairs to change before answering the call of Father Zantus."  Pisca slipped off her chair and onto the ever considerate wooden stairs.  "You've been the perfect host, Aldern Foxglove, and this gnome gives you her thanks for a truly memorable evening.  I also thank you tremendously for the use of your name in my little project.  Don't be surprised if others contact you about the library."  The gnome curtsied and lifted her skirts as she turned and descended the stairs.

It was a quiet gnome that ascended to her room to change.  She had not said anything during those last few moments of the dinner.  The human girl had seemed so happy.  Perhaps that's what it was like to live a short life.  To love so strongly.  Because the biggest problem with horses and ponies - and the gnome supposed that this was true for humans as well - the biggest problem with horses and ponies is that they died.

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Alergast Barett nodded at the revelation that Kellan had gone to the General Store to help with a pest problem.  "I'll head over there to pick up Guardsman Storval, then, Sheriff."  He looked at Hemlock for approval.  "And we'll meet you up at the Boneyard?"

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Belor Hemlock looked at his lieutenant.  "Sounds like a fine idea to me, Barett," he said, gesturing to the door.  "We'll see you there after you dispose of the rats.  Try not to be TOO long about it."  He grinned at Alergast, who rolled his eyes as he left the Rusty Dragon to go pick up Kellan.

Sheriff Hemlock returned his attention to the group.  "Thank you for understanding, Aldern."  He gave the noble a short bow, then winked at Cato.  "I think Father Zantus will understand his acolyte having a drink or two at a celebratory dinner given in her honor."  He looked up the stairs.  "I believe all we need is Miss Freemish to return, and we are ready to depart?  Or does anyone need anything else?"

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The gnome came running down the stairs, not at all the prim and proper young gnome she'd been only moments before.  Dressed in her frontier leathers and geared with weapons, she skidded to a stop with a *tap*tap*tap* of gnomish boots.

"Ho-gay," she puffed.  "I'm ready.  Lead the way."

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Sheriff Hemlock held the door for the group as they made their way out of the Rusty Dragon and onto Market Street.  They headed over towards the southern town square, and then up Festival Street, going past the theater, finally turning onto High Street to get to the northern town square and the cathedral.

"I want to personally thank each of you for your services to the town yesterday evening," the sheriff informed the group as they began walking.  "I'm not sure we'd been able to hold the goblins off if it wasn't for your efforts at the cathedral and the White Deer.  I don't even want to think about what might have happened if they'd managed to set the cathedral on fire."

He gave each of you a serious look.  "You are all heroes.  And I mean real, flesh-and-blood heroes, not the ones that you read about in the storybooks."

He coughed and looked away.  "But enough of me fawning over you.  What are your plans for the future?  Kerr, I know you're here with Father Zantus, and young Kellan is with the Guard, but what about you, Cato?  Are you planning to stay with Sage Quink for the foreseeable future?  And you, Liseth?  Are you planning to make your acolyte position something more permanent?  And Pisca," he gave the gnome an even look that might or might not have indicated that the sheriff knew more than he was letting on, "what about you?  Staying in the area?"  The night breeze off the ocean brought a chill to the air as he asked his questions.

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This message was last edited by the player at 03:05, Tue 01 Oct 2013.

Liseth held securely on to Kerr's arm for support when the group set out from the Rusty Dragon with Sheriff Hemlock.  She seemed to be having more trouble walking straight than she usually did and actually leaned against his body; forcing the other acolyte to bear the bulk of her rather minute frame.  She slowed almost to a stop when the Sheriff asked his question of her and the others; the act of doing two things at once, replying and walking, nearly too much for her incapacitated faculties.

"I'm not a hero Mr Sheriff Hemlock."  There was a pause as Liseth considered that particular form of address, then she continued, "At least I don't think that I am.  I didn't fight any of the goblins.  Mr Crispin and Mr Storval and Ms Freemish did all of that.  I just fixed their injuries is all that I did.  So that they could keep fighting the goblins."

A long moment was spent considering what to say next, the girl's addled mind trying to figure out an answer that she wasn't even sure she knew.  Liseth spoke slowly, "I don't know.  It took a lot of convincing by Father Garrick before Daddy let me come to Sandpoint by myself to visit the Consecration Ceremony for the Cathedral."  She frowned in concern, "Daddy probably won't be very happy when he learns that goblins attacked the town.  I should write him a letter so that he knows I'm okay."

Returning to answering the question, Liseth stole a glance up at Kerr, "I'd like to stay in Sandpoint for a while though.  All the people here are so nice.  Except for the goblins.  And Father Zantus needs all the help he can get at the Cathedral.  That's why I wanted to come here, by the way.  So I can study the gods at the Cathedral, since so many of them have a presence there.  I want to ask them why I have so much divine energy, even though none of them seem to want me to serve them..."  She went quiet for a moment.

Then Liseth began to share more, perhaps more than she might have had she not been inebriated at the moment.  "Did you know that my family worships Sarenrae?  It's always been like that.  My brother Nivlak is even a Paladin for Sarenrae."  Her voice gained a tone of awe, an obvious amount of hero-worship involved in Liseth speaking of her older brother, "He's the strongest and bravest and noblest knight that there is."

She became despondent when she continued, "I was supposed to become a priestess of Sarenrae.  A cleric.  Everyone thought that was what I was supposed to do when Father Garrick said I was gifted with the divine.  But when the time came She rejected my service..."  Tears started to well up at the memory, Liseth's joy and happiness of just moments before replaced by a sudden depression as she stopped talking.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:09, Mon 30 Sept 2013.

The gnome tipped her hat back with a thumb, the better to look hummies in the eye no brim in the way.  "I intend to see a library built, Sheriff Hemlock," so said the gnome to the Sheriff.  She smiled a sunny smile up at the head of local law enforcement in Sandpoint.  But, aside from this smile, she gave no indication - if this vague and sunny smile could even be considered an indication - that she had noticed a particular look given to her by a particular sheriff of the particular town of Sandpoint.  "What do you think of that?  And I have Aldern Foxglove's support in this too."

"Yup.  There's nothing that keeps the gobbies away better than the printed word.  Did you know that goblins have an aversion to reading, Sheriff?  Yes they do.  Accuse a goblin of reading sometime.  You'll see."

"And speaking of which, how's the investigation going?  Into who was behind that attack?  Who do you have heading it up?  I'm interested in finding out who has the right stuff to pull at least three of the goblin tribes together and make an attack in the way they did.  I think it had something to do with the cathedral.  I think it did.  Which means, that they may be back."

Cato heard the Sheriff's question and tried to continue walking when that issue was brought up again.  What exactly did he want to do?  He was glad when Liseth and Pisca immediately answered the question, giving him a few more minutes to think.

"I'm not sure, Sheriff.  I've enjoyed the past year in Sandpoint.  Working with Brodert certainly has been interesting, and for the immediate future, I'm happy staying right here in Sandpoint.  I'm glad I did something for Sandpoint yesterday.  I feel like this town has shown so much generosity, not just to me, but to all the people of Varisia who now call it home.  Brodert thinks he might have taught me all he can, and it's time to set out into the wider world.  Libraries and scholars in Magnimar or other opportunities, he says."

Cato looks out at the town, a gleam in his eye for his newfound home.

"I guess for the immediate future, it's our duty to make sure that Sandpoint stays safe.  We should at least figure out why those goblins attacked, who was behind it all, and make sure that it never happens again.  It's seems a very strange thing for all the various tribes to organize themselves together and launch a coordinated attack.  Someone or something else must be behind all this.  Just like Pisca said."

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“On the contrary, I believe you are indeed a hero, Miss Thoradin,” Sheriff Hemlock smiled genially at the young acolyte.  “You stayed and helped your companions when you could easily have fled for your life.  And for your troubles, you were attacked by a fearsome opponent, if the stories I’ve heard are correct.”  He gave her an approving look.  “A lesser person would have run, or been rendered useless.  You, my dear, were not.”

He patted her shoulder comfortingly as he listened to her tale of deific disappointment.  “I certainly hope you decide to stay in Sandpoint for a while as you work things out.”

He turned to Pisca.  “A library, eh?  And you have Aldern’s support?  Well, you could be well on your way.  Can’t say I’ve seen much call for one myself, but have you talked to Chask Haladan about it?  Man knows his way around books.”

Hemlock cocked his head at Pisca’s theories regarding the goblin attacks and Cato’s follow-up assertion that something must have been behind it.  “Yes, well, Miss Pisca, if you’re looking for the investigation, here it is!”  He spread his hands wide to encompass the entire group.  “It turns out that the Boneyard was, how can I put this . . . disturbed during the goblin attack.  Someone broke into one of the crypts; Father Zantus only just discovered the break-in when he was beginning the burial ceremonies for those who died last night.  He contacted me, and I thought of you.”

“It may be that the entire attack was nothing but a distraction to allow whoever it was uninterrupted access to the Boneyard.  I’ve kept the area pristine; no one’s been back there since the attack other than Father Zantus.  So you will have the chance to do Sandpoint another service and put your prodigious skills to the task of determining what happened, why it happened, and who might be responsible.  For as you said, Miss Pisca,” the Sheriff inclined his head in her direction, “they may be back.”

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"Chask Haladan has agreed to be my head librarian," the gnome declared with the great authority of truth.  (Or, perhaps, the great authority of denial.)  "And it's not going to be a library like the kind that they have in Magnimar where books are just for scholars, learned men and gnomes.  Everyone will be able to read the books in my library.  Anyone in the town will be able to go in and read books about far away places, about how to build a boat, or stories of heroes and fanciful animals, learned treatises on the taunting of badgers.  Because of my library, Sheriff Hemlock, you could live to see in Sandpoint, a town in which everyone reads.  Can you imagine that?  A town in which reading is taken for granted?  Where the mere mention of someone who cannot read draws whispers of surprise and pity?  That is my dream for Sandpoint."

"Hmmm.  So what you're telling me is that you *don't* have anyone backtracking the gobbies to see where they came from.  Is that right?"  The gnome frowned with disapproval even as she turned the conversation on a dime.  "You didn't pass word around the town asking whether anyone's seen suspicious goblin-friendly types who'd been asking about town after the schedule of the opening of the cathedral?  Or the patrol schedules of the town guard?  Or the availability of extra lunches?"

"Hmmm," the gnome hmmm'ed again, but couldn't keep her concentration on that subject for long.  "You know, I wish we could have done this during the daytime."  Pisca took off her hat and gazed about into the dark of late evening.  "It's nice and silvery under the moon and stars.  But a little more light would help."  At that, the gnome quickly poked a finger at four different locations.  "Jibber."  She spoke the word of power and four dancing lights appeared to set up a warm and friendly glow.

Liseth nodded mutely to the Sheriff of Sandpoint when he explained why he thought that she was a hero.  She still didn't think of herself as having done anything heroic.  Heroes don't get as scared as she was, and they certainly don't hide behind bigger, stronger men when monsters show up...

"Thank you," She whispered sadly after Sheriff Hemlock tried to comfort her.  Liseth thought that she had gotten over the feelings of disappointment and rejection from all that time ago.  But something about tonight made the emotions almost as strong as they were after Father Garrick had said those five awful words, 'Sarenrae has not chosen her.'  Then she found herself crying into Kerr's sleeve as the group continued towards the Cathedral Boneyard.

After that she found paying attention to what the Sheriff told the others about the situation to be difficult.  But they'll probably fill her in after she managed to calm down...
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:43, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

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"Your head librarian?"  Belor Hemlock's tone indicated surprise and perhaps some doubt.  "You've recruited BOTH Aldern Foxglove and Chask Haladan for your project?  You are a persuasive young lady, Pisca."  The sheriff's gaze again lingered on the gnome slightly longer than absolutely necessary, as if he might determine exactly which techniques of persuasion she might have used, and if he had to worry about the use of such techniques on other townsfolk.

"We don't have the resources to track the goblins," he shrugged in response to Pisca's query about the investigation.  "We don't have someone with, say, a Shalelu Andosana's skills at our beck and call.  In any event, we can be almost sure that the goblins went back to their tribal areas.  Where the goblins are now isn't the question.  The question is why they unified and attacked us last night."

"I've put the word out for anyone who saw anything suspicious to talk to me or one of the other guardsmen, but no one has come forward to this point."  He gave Pisca a patient look.  "Remember, it has only been a day since the attack.  It's possible that someone will recall something important after they've had some time to recover.  Of course, there's no guarantee of that."

The sheriff shook his head as they arrived at the northern town square.  Father Zantus was waiting for them on the steps of the cathedral as Alergast Barett and Kellan Foxglove, slightly winded, jogged in to join the group from the west.

"Ah, I'm glad you arrived so quickly!"  The priest said, with a note of worry in his voice.  "Thank you for coming."

"Why don't you tell them what you told me," Belor encouraged him.

"Quite right."  Father Zantus nodded anxiously.  "I went back to the Boneyard earlier to prepare it for the burial rites when I noticed that the seals on one of the vaults were broken.  Apparently someone stole in undetected and violated it for some undoubtedly-foul purpose!"  The prelate looked incensed.  "It's sacreligious!  Here, let me show you . . ."

"No, Father Zantus," replied Sheriff Hemlock in a calming voice.  "We know what you saw.  There's no reason for you to go wandering back there in the dark with the rest of us.  Why don't you head back into the cathedral and we'll let you know what we find?"

Father Zantus looked as if was about to insist, but relented.  "As you say, Belor, if you think that's best.  Hopefully you all will be able to determine what was done and why this happened!  Kerr, Liseth, you're both familiar with the Boneyard.  Let the others know if there's anything else amiss in there that I failed to see."  After giving the party a blessing, he walked back inside the cathedral.

Sheriff Hemlock led the group around to the Boneyard's entrance.  As he unlocked the gate, he looked at the assembled group.  "This is a very unusual situation.  I'm open to ideas on how best to conduct this investigation."

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This message was last edited by the player at 06:51, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

Cato brought his hands up to mouth for a few seconds and closed his eyes and he thought through the scanty clues delivered by Father Zantus and Sheriff Hemlock.

"Father, before you go, two questions.  First, which vault was broken into?  Second, how often do you inspect the Boneyard?  Did this happen at the same time as the goblin attack?"

Cato looked at his companions.  "Maybe this is real reason for the goblin attack.  Maybe it was just a distraction for stealing whatever was in that vault."

Cato was quiet a few moments longer.  Then he addressed the Sheriff.  "I haven't too much experience with this sort of thing, honestly.  I think figuring out what was stolen, and who was in the vault might be able to give us an idea of who did it or why.  Whoever is responsible can apparently corral a number of goblin tribes into attacking Sandpoint.  They obviously don't care much for collateral damage, whatever they're trying to do.  We should proceed cautiously, but we need to find out what happened.  I can see if anything magical is going on, as well."

OOC:
Cast Detect Magic, inspect the Boneyard.  Cato will inspect the vault in question, as well.

Hummies don't always listen very well.  Or so thought the gnome.  And she should know.  She didn't always listen very well herself.  Pisca was just about to correct the Sheriff and point out to him that she had said backtrack to see where they had come from, including their staging areas and all that would tell of their movements before the attack, and not forwardtrack to see where the gobbies had run off to afterwards.  But, by the time she got through working that out, the conversation had moved on.  And besides, if they didn't have a tracker anyway, there was no point.  Not that there was anything inherently bad about pointlessness.  Apples, after all, had no point either, but that did nothing to stop them from being quite tasty.

"Umm ...  Were you saying anything?" said the gnome, who found that she had wandered metaphorically away from the others.  "Oh.  Right.  How to conduct the investigation.  Well, to start, it may not be the best idea to stop head clerics from describing what they saw.  Because we don't know what Father Zantus saw.  At least I don't.  He said something about violation.  Exactly what kind of violation?  Was this poo'ing on the floor?  Or something more esoteric with eye of newt and toe of frog?  We'll have to get Father Zantus back here to describe it.  No.  No need.  We'll have to go there ourselves anyway so we'll be able to see it ourselves."

"And we'll need and expert tracker to tell us from the foot impressions around the crypt, how many gobbies were involved," Pisca said this, clearly forgetting that an expert tracker was not to be had.  Then, "I can do that.  How hard could that be?"  With arms akimbo the gnome's eyes scanned the nearby ground.  "There.  See that?"  She pointed at a shallow depression made by the displacement of a loose cobblestone.  "That's a badger footprint.  I would say that he passed this way ... five days ago, coming from Junker's Way where he stopped to eat some garbage.  After coming here and making this track he went ... "  Pisca the Expert Frontier Tracking Gnome squatted down next to her badger footprint and sighted along the various different direction in which the animal might have gone.

"Wait.  This isn't a badger footprint at all.  Hmmm.  You know," admitted the gnome as she rose and brushed imaginary dust from the backs of her thighs, "this tracking is harder than I thought."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:42, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

Seeing Father Zantus in such a state shocked Liseth straight out of her depression.  She shot up into a standing position, and even though her eyes were still red from her recent fit of crying she payed very close attention to the priest.  He was actually angry...and he looked worried too.  Whatever happened must be really bad because she had never seen Father Zantus so mad before.  At anything!

"Yes, Father Zantus."  Saying that and nodding in compliance was all that the girl could manage when Father Zantus spoke to her directly.  She waited until Sandpoint's prelate left before she tugged on Kerr's sleeve.  "Kerr, Father Zantus is really angry.  Did you ever see him angry like that before?"

Liseth watched mutely as Cato, Pisca, and Sheriff Hemlock discussed the situation, seeming startled for just a moment when she took her first notice of the glowing orbs that were now following the gnome.  Floating ethereal lights in a graveyard at night brought to mind ideas that she didn't enjoy one bit.  But she quickly realized that they were just for extra light, and it didn't take her long to follow the idea herself.

She whispered a prayer, "Sarenrae, grant us the light of your sun," and reached a hand to grasp the focus at her neck; having forgotten about the extravagant emerald necklace that was placed over it.  So her hand found the necklace first, which began to shine as bright as a torch and dispel the darkness of the Boneyard.

"Maybe we should go inside the vault to see what has Father Zantus so...worried?"  She sounded reluctant.  Liseth wasn't sure herself if she wanted to lay her eyes upon whatever the priest saw.  Then her eyes were drawn to Pisca as the gnome mentioned needing to find tracks to see who might have been in the Boneyard uninvited.

"Umm...Ms Freemish, I don't think that you're doing that right."  The girl was watching the gnome curiously as she went on about badgers.  Then Liseth decided to see if she could help at all.  She walked slowly and carefully to Pisca's side, "Daddy showed me how to find and follow tracks in the wilderness.  He said that it was important that I know how to identify and avoid aggressive animals and other creatures; as well as know which animals could be hunted.  I might be able to find goblin footprints too."  With that Liseth rolled up her skirt to keep it from getting on the ground and knelt down to search the area around the vault for tell-tale footprints and tracks with Pisca.

OOC: I think that will call for a Survival skill roll from Racon.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

"Nooo ... " the gnome mused.  "You know, this could be a badger footprint if the badger in question had a clubbed foot.  Or maybe a clubbed foot and a severe lisp."

Well, it still wasn't easy.  But it was easier now that Lysa had pointed some things out.  It didn't hurt to have a trained eye.  But the gnome just could not get the knack of figuring out where the tracks were coming from and going to.

"If I were a gobbie, I'd probably enter the boneyard from the woods there."  Pisca pointed to the wall to the northeast.  "Maybe climb the wall.  Or ... "  The gnome turned further through an arc to where the river lay in the darkness beyond, visible, perhaps, only to her gnomish eyes which drank in the silvery moonlight.  Maybe I'd come in around the end of the wall where it meets the river.  Maybe even swim across and climb the bank.  There are no gnome-eating sharks in the river.  Or so I've been told."

"What do you see, Lys?" Pisca asked.  Her eyes picked out the odd print, but failed to make sense of the whole.  "Where did the little pee-monsters come from?"

---

Perception 16, Taking 10 to see tracks.

Active Effects:  Dancing Lights.  Will renew when necessary.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Wed 02 Oct 2013.

Kellan came jogging up to the bone yard side by side with Alergast, the younger had appreciated his mentor's understanding for privacy at the moment and would no doubt fill him in come time. Upon arrival they both walked up on the group, breathing just a little heavy after the jaunt in full armor.

Looking to each of his companions in turn he cocked an eye at Pisca's "tracking" methods before focusing squarely on Sheriff Hemlock. "Sir" he greeted him, punctuating the word with a nod. "How can I help?"

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Father Zantus turned at the cathedral door to respond to Cato’s questions.  “It’s the large vault near the wall in the back of the boneyard,” he said, a little mysteriously, before glancing at his acolyte.  “Kerr will be able to tell you more about it, but you should really go see it for yourselves.  As far as the timing, I’m almost sure it happened during the goblin attack.  I was preparing for the consecration ceremony in the Boneyard during the afternoon of the Festival, and did not see anything amiss.”

He looked at the assembled group with great seriousness.  “Please get to the bottom of this,” he asked, with barely-suppressed anger, before turning and heading back inside the cathedral.

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This message was lightly edited by the player at 04:56, Thu 03 Oct 2013.

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Belor Hemlock gave Pisca something that might be best described as a mild glare.  “I did not stop him from telling us about the exact kind of crypt violation, Miss Pisca, because he doesn’t know.”  The Sheriff seemed a small bit put out at the gnome’s critique.  “He did not enter the crypt himself; he saw that the seals were broken and immediately informed me of that fact.  As I told you earlier, we are the first ones to investigate the scene, so hopefully you and Liseth,” his intonation made it clear that he was counting mostly on Liseth, “will be able to determine what these tracks mean before they are too-much disturbed."

The Sheriff looked over at Kellan and Alergast.  "Let's hold up for a minute and see what our trackers and experts can tell us about this raid."  He folded his arms and watched patiently as Cato walked over to the crypt and Liseth and Pisca discussed the tracks' meaning.

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